Westporter gives ironing board a redesign

By CHRIS BOSAKHour Staff Writer

Published 3:45 pm, Thursday, May 22, 2014

WESTPORT --What exciting developments have occurred in the ironing board industry in the last 100 years or so? Absolutely nothing -- until now, if you ask David Farnworth, president of Instinctive Works.

Farnworth, a Westport resident, launched the invention, consumer products and marketing business late last year. Its first project is the iBoard, an ironing board based on the design and vibe of a surf board. It is available on Amazon, as well as the websites of several national retailers.

"I started with the ironing board. I've seen no innovation in this category in ages," Farnworth said. "The patent for the ironing board was granted in 1892 and hasn't really changed in all that time."

iBoard features extra large padded feet for stability, an iron rest and clothes rack that pulls out from underneath the board, oversized dual release levers, built in hanging tab, and surf board inspired shape and cover. It comes in traditional sized, table top and sleeve sized.

Farnworth worked for the past 10 years designing consumer products for another Connecticut company.

"I designed hundreds of products that are in every major retailer in the U.S. I decided to go on my own last year," he said. "I'll design my own products but also take a look at other people's ideas and fund other ideas and entrepreneurs. I don't have all of the ideas."

For now he's working on building momentum for iBoard.

Farnworth admittedly is a big fan of inventor Michael Graves and other well-known inventors.

"These guys take a salt-and-pepper shaker or colander and make them sexy. I love Michael Graves products, but I tired his ironing board and didn't like it," Farnworth said. "People don't like ironing boards that are noisy, hard to open, cheap and lack stability. I wanted to make a quality board that you could leave out in the open in your house and feel proud of it. I just design things and people like it. It's also easy to use, very quiet and stable."

The iBoard is boldly colored with light blue and white, and features decorative surfing-inspired covers.

The iBoard sells on Amazon for about $100.

"There's a slight premium, but it has its advantages," Farnworth said.

The idea to kick off Instinctive Works with an ironing board came following a trip to Mystic that Farnworth took with his family. Upon visiting an exhibit depicting life in the early 1900s, Farnworth's 11-year-old son noticed an ironing board in the corner of a display.

"He turned to me and said: 'I think you may be on to something,'" Farnworth said.

On reviewer on Amazon wrote that the design of iBoard inspired her 9-year-old daughter to learn how to iron.

"If you make something attractive you can attract people to a category," Farnworth said. "You have to give people an excuse to change their habits."